Remember the Gulf

Remember 9/11. Remember Katrina. Remember Haiti. Often, after a disaster of epic proportions, we are urged to remember the victims and the lessons of how to avoid a similar catastrophe. These reminders are necessary because after the moment of impact passes, people’s attention is drawn to other major events. Rarely ever, however, is the phrase used while the crisis continues unabated; while the administration that the media needs to hold accountable flounders in a sea of ineptitude, red tape and finger pointing.

Yes, we’re talking about the Gulf oil spill. It may be the first time in U.S. history that a president and the national media’s attention need to be refocused on a crisis while it is still, in fact, underway. Remember the Gulf.

We at The Heritage Foundation are not forgetting it. Starting today, a team of respected energy, environment, homeland security and response experts are traveling to the Gulf region. Over the coming week, we’ll investigate what is and is not working and what more needs to be done (or in many cases, where the federal government should simply step out of the way), and we’ll report our findings back to you.

Why are we doing this? Because it has now been 77 days since the Deepwater Horizon platform exploded, killing eleven workers, and setting in motion the spill still gushing today. Over that time, the outflow has gotten worse, goals have been missed and attention has waned. Since the disaster, President Obama has visited the region four times. Only one of those visits included Mississippi, Alabama or Florida, states that are being summarily affected by economic and environmental damage. His first visit came only two weeks after the explosion, and after a national outcry.

During that time period, one could point to a number of issues and events that have taken priority for the president—and yes that includes political commitments but also vacations and hanging out with rock stars and sports personalities. But, to be fair, even when focused, the administration continues to flounder.

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The instrument by which it [government] must act are either the AUTHORITY of the laws or FORCE. If the first be destroyed, the last must be substituted; and where this becomes the ordinary instrument of government there is an end to liberty!— Alexander Hamilton, Tully, No. 3, August 28, 1794